One Brick at a Time ~ 3

The air of the rightmost path of the inner dungeon was heavy with anticipation as groups slowly crept out. Nearly 200 people had gone, and most returned safe and, luckily, loaded.

Yea, turns out that Zombie was just unlucky with his first trip. Center path, scary, right path, dandy lions, and an abundance of fucking flowers.

Talks had spread as far as Crush and Sprite's little corner, so they knew about the absolute oasis planted that way. Most of the torches were still usable because many glowing cotton trees and moss grew along the rightmost route.

No one's weapon was grazed with a drop of blood, but their swords and axes were chipped from the volume of trees they cut down and hauled back for firewood. They also brought back plants that grew a green, bright berry.

It was fortunate that groups still upheld their end of the deal. Possibly because of Crush and Sprite's connection with Zombie, others didn't dare to betray them.

Teams mostly returned with plants, no treasure. So, Crush was more eager to see what Zombie would deliver to them.

After tributes were collected from each squad, Crush stood faced with 32 entire cut-down trees. They loosely resembled the plant hanging upside down, draped in cotton. He had two axes from his crafter questline, so he gave one to Sprite and told him to prepare for a long day/night.

They would start large.

Something that'd ensure the permanent attention of every human and skyrocket their credibility. They'd create an Adventurer Guild Hall. According to the Admin Pen's description, it was where individuals stopped after returning from a dungeon run. It was also referenced in many fictional works, so it was a must-have.

Vol 1 of the Carpenter's crafting book had blueprints for a simple log cabin. It detailed the handcrafted cuts designed to securely stack logs atop one another and how to carve planks out of tree logs. Crush gave it an honest glance, then never looked at it again.

"Let's just line up all the logs and cut them evenly. I'll Link everything together after."

Sprite hummed, scanned the logs from left to right, then advised, "27 feet is around the average length. We should bring them down to 25 feet and use the spare for furniture."

"We have 32 logs, so if we stack 8 high evenly for all four walls, we'll have a ceiling height of roughly 11 feet tall."

"That's everything; we wouldn't have logs left for the roof," established Crush.

"We'll tell everyone it's an Open Concept building until we get more. Not like we have to worry about the weather here."

"Alright," Crush responded, tossing the axe onto his shoulder. "We supposedly have a +10 race bonus to our crafting stats, so this outta be painless."

After they lined the trees up, Sprite engraved a mark onto the logs where they needed to cut to achieve 32 evenly cut logs.

With the stage set, they went at it. Sprite, being Mr. Universal, demonstrated first. He gripped the axe with two hands, inhaled as he raised it above his head, then exhaled sharply as he brought it down. The tool whacked into the log, so Sprite chuckled in success. "Just like that," he said.

"Show off," retorted Crush. He took position over a different tree and prepared to cut but waited a minute after seeing Sprite struggle to withdraw his axe from the lumber.

"..."

The boy yanked, stomped his foot onto the log for a better grip, then tugged even harder. Yet, the tool did not dislodge. Crush found it entertaining to watch the know-it-all fail to utilize the knowledge he presumably learned from YouTube or reading.

"Need help?" He chuckled.

"No, no, I just need to widen my legs a bit more," snapped Sprite. His banter was transmitted some yards away, where a man had been observing them. A few others were curious why two teenagers had a whole yard of logs, but only he moved toward them.

"Actually," he said with a slightly timid air of confidence.

Crush became aware of the stranger's presence when he heard his voice and footsteps approaching, so he circled around to mind him.

Appearance alone placed him in his thirties. He had mature, shortcut hair like he'd recently had it cut and an inch-thick beard. Both areas of his head had expansive white streaks, which was odd because he still looked youthful. His chin was broad, just like his shoulders and massive tree trunk arms.

When Crush asked for his name, he introduced himself as Charles - a sound that felt heavy on his tongue. His blue eyes looked tired and lifeless, reflecting a personal sadness that he carried within.

Despite his seniority, he spoke in a respectful, soft Southern American accent, as if trying to make himself smaller and less noticeable to the world.

Charles slowly approached the axe that was jammed in place, his eyes filled with gloom as he took a glance at Sprite. He hesitantly gestured toward the tool and asked in a low voice, "May I?"

Sprite unenthusiastically presented the space to the man, then took a step back with his failures filed in the cabinets of his mind.

"Don't feel bad," Charles said, firmly gripping the axe's upper handle with his right hand. He straightened his back, then, with a low grunt, he ripped the blade from the wood.

"This is an incredibly dense timber, more than anything I've worked with back home."

Charles raised the axe above his head, slammed it into the slit Sprite had made, then quickly withdrew it to his waist for another strike. "Your form is fine, but prioritize repetition rather than putting too much strength into your hits and getting stuck."

"You catch all that Sprite? Or should he demonstrate again?" joked Crush.

Charles handed the axe back to the boy, then offered to help. Not seeking any reward; he just wanted an activity to distract him, and woodworking had been a hobby of his past life. He had the Barbarian Class Crystal like Zombie, so he had his own weapon to cut the logs.

The boys had no reason to refuse volunteer work, so they welcomed the man on board. He was an asset to have, though his energy was sometimes offputting.

At times he seemed utterly cut off from reality and would hammer away at the logs with a particular hatred. It clearly wasn't just a hobby but an outlet he could use to battle whatever demons he had inside himself. Still, neither of the boys would tell him to slow down or pace himself.

**

**

It was primarily wordless labor. After they cut all the trees down to size, Charles finally had the sense to ask what they were doing with them. Crush was upfront and explained their end goal. He saw it beneficial to omit less information since the man would be a direct witness to his ability.

Charles initially had difficulty believing the "Magic Linking" concept and pointlessly offered to build a cabin properly. Crush denied his proposal because it'd simply take too long using the usual methods. Instead, he sought the man's strength in stacking the logs atop one another to link them.

It was problematic for the three of them to lift the trees. Luckily, the curious eyes that'd been watching their steady progress aided them. Crush, of course, told them they were doing it for the good of the community. He also had a "magic glue" that'd somehow hold everything together. More straightforward than explaining magic to a bunch of outsiders.

The number of hands multiplied; even better, they brought in more lumber to build a flat roof. Crush ran through his magic quickly, but he felt daring enough to drink the so-called "MP Potions" he earned from a previous quest.

Welcome the lovely bitter taste of nature.

Crush resisted the urge to gag as he swallowed the unpleasant taste of herbs mixed with what he could only describe as a "spiritual earth" flavor. However, the concoction seemed to work well, restoring his MP to max.

After everything was in place, it was time for the grand revelation. Well, the thousands of humans in the Hub had more or less seen or heard the cabin built, but they had yet to listen to the first-rate introduction.

Sprite and Crush put on their faces, jogged to the front of the building, and slapped their hands on the wood surface like it was a new car.

The wood of its walls was dark brown but was tinted green due to the overhead light. Double doors were built into the entrance, but the overall design was still simple.

Crush thought he was putting on airs, but his smile was authentic. He rubbed the unpolished wall as he faced the audience of people, including the front row of the proud, sweaty men that helped.

It wasn't his or Sprite's dream architecture, but they constructed it with their own hands. More so, it was their property; yea, imagine that. Two street rats actually owned a building.

Sprite was usually the follower in their public speeches, but he bore his teeth with his grin and then outburst, "We made it!"

Yes, you did Sprite, Good job. The boy's message was irrelevant, and quite frankly; he was just flexing any haters that said they'd never make it.

Crush nudged Sprite with a chuckle, then whispered, "com'on man, keep your cool."

Sprite replied with a friendly elbow to Crush's side, then opened the stage for him.

"Now announcing!" Began Crush, using both hands to point toward the structure. "The first-ever Adventurer Guild Hall!"

Following the statement, Sprite spewed a thrilling woo-hoo that echoed around the space. This should have cued applause or cheering, yet... Silence?

That was, minus the three or so geeks who immediately understood what that was.

Ah, yes, of course, the faces of bewilderment. How would anyone be excited about a building they had no clue about, especially with a name like the one given.

"Right..." Whispered Crush. "I also got too ahead of myself. We probably should have called it a work center or something more universally understood."

Sprite turned from them, pushed open the double doors leading to the interior, then nonchalantly roamed inside, reassuring Crush, "I wouldn't worry about it too much; they'll have to come around sooner or later."

Crush peeked at the crowd, who awaited with bemused expressions, then sighed. "So you say... But I can't be as patient as you. Not under these circumstances."

He gave his opening a second shot, clarifying that their purpose was aiding those willing to venture further into the dungeon. He sported his glow stone, which earned him some "oohs and ahhs," but the collective wasn't sold.

Why did they need an entire building to goof off inside just to provide torches to the minority that wanted to go off exploring? In that regard, Crush's greediness showed.

The problem was that it wasn't for everyone, and the sad souls content with the Hub's safety began to disperse. However, that could change.

Loriana emerged from the crowd, her garments tattered and soiled, and her bandages a clear sign of her injuries as she made her way on the set. Frustrated, she peered at Crush in contentment and scowled. "I can't believe you."

"You ruined the beginning of what was supposed to be the first real-life adventurer guild."

Crush pressed his thumb hard against his aching temple and snapped back, "I know; I don't need you adding salt to my wounds."

In a composed manner, Loriana gently lowered her hand onto her chest and uttered, "Please hold on a moment," as she slowly shook her head from side to side.

Despite turning up her volume to the maximum, her voice was only half as strong as Crush or Sprite. Nonetheless, she made an effort to continue.

"An Adventure Hall is for more than just dungeon crawlers! It's for the weak, the strong, women, men, rich, and poor; anyone can benefit."

"Everyone has something that they can contribute to the Hall. It needs you, whether it's hunting the creatures that provide us with food, gathering, building, or logistics."

(("It needs? She speaks as if this building is alive. Guess she's really passionate about this fantasy stuff, even if it means helping us after Sprite teased her"))

There wasn't much of a reaction initially, but Charles did step forward and state his occupation. He was good with lumbering; if that was enough to contribute to society, he'd gladly help. Another came after, explicitly declaring that she would never want to fight the things that lingered in the dungeon. But she ran a fashion store on Earth, and even if it seemed trivial or useless, she wanted to be of service.

"Nobody is useless," Loriana clarified. She pinched her shirt, which was torn at the sleeves and dirtied, then encouraged the woman to put her talents into sewing once the means came available.

"We'll also need crafters to build furniture for the Hall," added Crush. Again, his words appealed to his selfish nature, which only cared about advancing his schemes, but opened the floor to many other fields. Some could build, grow plants, cook, map the dungeon, and study the creatures; there was so much that could be done aside from hunting.

Crush reasoned that he could have made the same impact as Loriana if he had prepared more, but the fact was that he'd never know because the wave was already in motion.

Crush and Sprite, entrepreneurs of the new world. Founders of the Human Adventurer's Guild. There was a sweet sound to those titles.

But, rejoice later, there was plenty for them to do, starting with establishing the Quest Board that Loriana became adamant about. She'd read the books; she didn't want it to be all about killing monsters. There had to be something for the common folk to feel needed. Crush didn't know where she got off inserting herself into their project, but her results earned her a small say in their establishment.

They were onward. Leaving their pathetic past behind and steering to a new beginning.